


11. Doubt

by love_write_edit_sleep



Series: Child's Play (DBH 31 Fic Challenge) [11]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Kid!RK900, M/M, Running Away
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-17
Updated: 2018-08-17
Packaged: 2019-06-28 20:20:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15714390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/love_write_edit_sleep/pseuds/love_write_edit_sleep
Summary: Richard runs away in the middle of the night, fearing that he’s too much of a burden. He hadn’t expected anyone to find him.





	11. Doubt

_“Okay, see ya.”_

Richard stirred at the sound of Gavin’s voice. He listened as the front door closed and Gavin muttered to himself incoherently before stopping by Richard’s door. Richard closed his eyes, pretending to be asleep, as Gavin entered the room.

Gavin wordlessly crossed the room and sat on the bed near the android, sighing as he brushed Richard’s hair back.

 _“Math’s so much better at this than me.”_ Gavin muttered. _“I don’t know if I can fucking do this… I’m sorry, Richard… I’m a fuck up as a kid and as a adult…”_ Richard felt a soft kiss on his forehead as Gavin stood and left the room, closing the door behind him.

Richard pushed the covers back and grabbed Kadie, pulling her close as he clambered out the bed and crept down the hallway to the spare room, where Gavin lay on the bed. Richard’s LED flickered to red.

Gavin’s form trembled as his eyes burned with unshed tears, his hand over his mouth to prevent any involuntary noises from escaping. Richard quickly ran back to his room, his chest aching. He was hurting Gavin, and the longer he stayed, the more hurt Gavin would be.

He knew what had to be done.

Clutching Kadie to his chest, Richard crept out of the front door and into the night.

* * *

Gavin froze upon hearing the front door open.

“Richard?” Gavin grabbed his gun out of the bedside drawer and held it to his chest, peering down the hallway. When he saw the coast was clear, he paced to Richard’s room. His heart fell when he saw the door was open.

“Richard? You okay?” Gavin asked, peeking into the room. He dropped the gun in shock at the sight of the empty bed, the words ‘Im Sory’ on piece of paper on the bed.

“Richard!” Gavin turned and ran, gun discarded, through the apartment and out the front door, down the hallway and down the stairs until he ended up outside with no sight of the boy. Gavin choked out a cry. “Richard!”

* * *

Richard really hadn’t thought this through.

His logic told him running away was a bad idea. Gavin was going to worry and feel bad, but his reasoning told him he was ridding Gavin of a problem he didn’t want and that Gavin would be fine. Besides, it wasn’t just Gavin…

Matthew had faced a trigger head-on to keep him entertained for the day, and Connor was stressing about everything. Surely, him being an extra responsibility was making everything worse. Surely they’d all be better off without him.

But where was he going? He had no idea, and he was getting nervous at the looks people were giving him. He was a tiny android now, people were looking down at him for once, and he didn’t like it. He wasn’t strong enough to fight anyone off now either, he had the abilities of a child.

He supposed he could bite someone if the need arised.

Richard decided to head to Pirate’s Cove and maybe sleep in the circus tent until he figured out a real plan. Then at least he was sheltered for the night.

He hadn’t expected to be grabbed from behind, ripping a cry from his vocal processor, his red LED flickering wildly.

“No! Let go!”

“Hey, no, sweetheart, don’t struggle.” The voice belonged to a woman. “I’m just gonna take you back to CyberLife, okay? Then your parents can find you.”

“No! Not CyberWife! Put me down!”

“Sweetie, I’m not trying to hurt you. Calm down, Honey…”

“I don’t wanna go to CyberWife! Let go!”

* * *

“Connor, I can’t find him!” Gavin cried, now running through the park. He hadn’t noticed that he’d neglected to put on a coat or shoes, his concern solely on Richard.

_“Matthew and I are looking also. Do you know where he might’ve gone?”_

“No!” Gavin snapped. “Why the fuck would I know?! It’s my fucking fault, Connor! I knew I couldn’t look after him properly! What if he’s hurt?!”

_“Gavin, you mustn’t blame yourself. You yourself know what goes through a child’s mind. You’ve run away several times, according to your files.”_

“Fuck you, Connor! I ran away because I thought my Dad was gonna fucking kill me!”

_“I know, I’m sorry, I was trying to help. Maybe he just feels overwhelmed, did it impulsively.”_

“I don’t care if he planned it or not, Connor, I just fucking want him back!” Gavin choked, his eyes welling again. “If anything’s happened to him-”

“I’m certain it hasn’t.”

* * *

“Honey, you need to stop it now.” The woman sighed as she struggled to carry the kicking and screaming child. “I’m trying to help you.”

Richard would be lying if he said he hadn’t attempted to bite her multiple times.

“I don’t want help! Let me go!”

“Sweetie, CyberLife are just gonna find your parents.”

“Richard?” The woman turned.

“You know this boy?”

“Yes, he’s my Son! Thank you so much, I thought I’d lost him!”

“Do you know this man?” The woman asked Richard. Richard nodded. Anything to avoid CyberLife. “Okay, sorry, Sweetie.” The woman put Richard down, who ran and hugged the figures leg in fear of being carried off to CyberLife again. A hand fell on Richard’s shoulder, causing him to flinch.

“Thank you for finding him.”

“No problem. Bye!”

“Bye!” Richard looked down until he felt himself being turned around, the figure kneeling down in front of him. “Richard…?”

“Pwease don’t tell Gabin…” Richard burst into tears, finally looking up. “Pwease, Jewwy…”

“What’re you doing out here all alone?” Jerry whispered, pulling Richard up and balancing him on his hip. “Does anyone know where you are?”

“No.” Richard choked, burying his face in Jerry’s chest. “Don’t tell, pwease don’t tell…”

“What happened?”

“I’m hewlping evewyone by getting rid of mysewlf.” Richard whimpered.

“Oh, sweetheart, no…” Jerry whispered. “You mustn’t think of yourself as a problem… You mustn’t do that… Oh, darling…”

“I don’t want Gabin to cwy anymowe… o-or Maffew to be scawed or Con-Con to be stwessed…”

“But they wouldn’t want you to leave, Richard…” Jerry told him. “How worried is Gavin going to be when he wakes up and sees you’re not there? He’s going to be really scared, they all are… What if they think something bad happened to you?”

Richard couldn’t think of anything to say to that.

“I’m going to call Matthew, okay? Then he can tell Gavin that we’re here and that you’re safe.”

“Okay…” Richard whimpered. Jerry’s LED flashed yellow as he made the call.

* * *

“Fuck, Connor! Where is he?!” Gavin cried, running down by the river. “Fuck!”

_“Try and think of his favourite locations. Perhaps a date or- Hold on, Matthew is contacting me…”_

“Fuck…” Gavin gripped his hair with his free hand. “Fuck… Richard…”

_“Jerry found Richard,  he’s okay. Matthew forwarded me the details. They’re outside the carnival.”_

“I know where that is…” Gavin was running before he could even register that Richard was okay.

* * *

“He’s going to send me back to CyberWife, I know he is…” Richard sniffled under Jerry’s jacket, which the android had draped over him when he realized how cold he was. Jerry rubbed the child’s arms as he sat in his lap.

“What makes you think that?” Jerry asked softly.

“I’m too much work…”

“Not to those who love you.” Jerry whispered. “Gavin didn’t have to take you in, Matthew didn’t have to bring you to Pirate’s Cove despite his fears, and Connor didn’t have to get involved with you in the first place. They did that on their own accord, because they love you and want you to be safe and happy.”

Richard’s eyes lit up, his LED flickering to yellow.

“I want to go home…”

_“Richard!”_

“Gabin…?” Richard perked up, looking around. “Gabin?!”

“Richard!” The boy’s eyes finally fell on Gavin, who was running up to them, waving his hands. “Richard!”

“Gabin!” Richard pulled away from Jerry, donning the jacket and running to Gavin as fast as he could, trying not to fall.

“Richard!” Gavin fell to his knees in front of the boy, pulling him in for a tight embrace, body trembling. “Fuck, I’m so happy you’re okay, you goofball… What were you thinking?” He asked pulling away. Richard’s smile fell at the tears that rolled down Gavin’s cheeks. “Jesus, fuck, kid, don’t do that to me again, god…”

“I’m sowwy… I was twying to make things easier…” Richard whispered, hugging Gavin back. “I heawd what you said and then I saw you cwying and I don’t wanna make you cwy anymore…”

“Richard… I-I’m sorry… I’m just pissed with myself, you know? My Dad was an arse and I’m really… really scared of being just like him… I don’t know if I’m doing anything right and it scares me that I’m looking after a kid after swearing to myself that I’d never have one…”

“You’re not bad…” Richard whispered. “You’re not…”

“I know, I’m getting the hang of it… I’m not so bad…” Gavin sniffed, pulling away and standing to face Jerry. “Thank you so fucking much… Shit, I don’t…” Gavin threw his arms around Jerry. “I don’t know how to say thank you.”

“It’s not a problem.” Jerry smiled as Gavin pulled away. “Wait… I recognise you… You went on the Ferris Wheel with Richard, when he was an RK900. You were really excited. You almost fell out at the top.” Jerry laughed.

“That was real…?” Richard whispered, looking up. Gavin nodded.

“Yeah, our first date. You kissed me when we got off and muttered something about experiences.”

“‘Experiences are best when shared with ones you love’.” Jerry smiled.

“That was it.” Gavin pulled Richard up, balancing him on his hip. “Come on you, Connor and Matthew are waiting.”

“Thank you, Jewwy.” Richard nuzzled against Gavin sleepily.

“Thanks, buddy…” Gavin smiled. Jerry returned it, watching as Gavin and Richard disappeared down the road.

* * *

_“Hank, you would not believe what happened today… I hope you don’t mind, I’m just going to rest for now… I’m right here, if you decide to wake up…_

_Goodnight, Dad… I love you.”_


End file.
